Did you know that the first Europeans to learn about cashew nuts were Portuguese? In the 16th century, the Portuguese discovered just how refreshing the cashew apple was and found it to be very tasty, but they didn’t know what to do with the apple itself.
The cashew nut’s outer shell contains anacardic acid, which is a toxic substance that can cause skin irritation and burns and this made the Portuguese a little hesitant. But despite these initial challenges, the Portuguese did not give up, they knew the cashew nut’s potential was a valuable food source.
They then discovered that roasting the nuts carefully neutralized the anacardic acid, exposing the delicious and nutritious kernel inside.
If you’ve not seen the cashew apple it is a fleshy, pear-shaped stalk that grows on the tree’s branches. However, it is not, the fruit itself. The true fruit is a smaller, kidney-shaped structure that grows beneath the cashew apple. This edible seed found within this drupe is the cashew nut.
Brazil Cashew Nuts
starts with the careful selection of a suitable planting farm. Cashew trees thrive in warm, humid climates with well-drained soils, making northeastern Brazil the best-growing region.
After deciding on a location, cashew seeds or seedlings are planted, normally during the rainy season to ensure enough moisture.
Cashew trees require regular care and attention during their early years. They need proper irrigation during the dry periods to ensure healthy growth and development of the trees.
Fertilization is one important nutrition that is essential in helping to maintain soil fertility and provide the trees with the nutrients they require for maximum nut production.
Cashew trees start bearing fruit from 3 to 5 years of planting, after flowering, the cashew apple matures in 6 to 8 months. Cashew apple harvesting usually involves carefully picking the fruits from the trees, ensuring they are fully ripe and have turned a yellow or orange color.
After harvesting, the cashew apple is processed, then dried and roasted to neutralize the anacardic acid and reveal the edible kernel within.
Cashew Nuts Price in Brazil
In 2022, Brazil’s cashew nut exports were valued at just above 63 million US Dollars. This was a slight decrease over the previous year’s figure.
The sharpest climb was between 2015 and 2016 when the export value increased from 102 million US dollars to just above 129 million US dollars.
Here are the total values in the export of cashew nuts from Brazil between 2013 and 2022.
Price of Cashew Nuts per kg in Brazil
One kilogram of raw cashew nuts costs between BRL 8996.4 and BRL 10995.6 in the retail market. This is equal to between US$ 1800 and US$ 2200 per kilogram. The wholesale price cost for Brazil cashew nuts is around US$ 1260 to US$ 1540 per kilogram.
When it comes to the cashew nuts market, cashews are always classified as per their size, color, and overall quality. For example, grade W-320 means that the cashew nuts are large, light in color, and of high quality. This grade will be more expensive than Grade W-240, which refers to smaller, darker cashew nuts.
In Brazil, cashew nuts are majorly grown in the northeastern region, and this is where the majority of cashew production happens, and therefore can be more affordable than those grown in other regions.
Brazil Cashew Price
If you are looking to buy Brazil’s raw cashew nuts, you can find them in different kinds of places, such as farmer’s markets, where you can find fresh, locally grown cashew nuts at reasonable prices.
Many Brazilian supermarkets and grocery stores also sell raw cashew nuts which always come packaged in bulk or smaller quantities.
It is important to inspect raw cashew nuts for quality and to ensure they are free of defects or discoloration. That is why it is recommended to buy cashew nuts from reputable sources to ensure their safety for consumption.
If you are buying cashew nuts, remember to look for certifications or labels that indicate adherence to quality standards, fair trade practices, or sustainable sourcing.
Reading customer reviews and seeking recommendations from trusted sources will also help guide your purchasing decisions.